Cigarette dispenser and humidifier



Jan. 21, 1930.

Filed Oct. l1, 1928 Patented Jan. 21 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CIGARETTE DISPENSER AND HUMIDIFIER Application filed October 11, 1928.

The object of the invention is to provide lmprovements in smokers artlcles broadly,

and more specifically in combined dispensers and humidifiers for the temporary storage of loose cigars and cigarettes, particularly the latter, also matches, toothpicks and such contents.

Another object is to provide a device of such size as to normally rest conveniently 0 upon a table, but which is adapted to be grasped and manually inverted so as to discharge cigarettes (or cigars for that matter) therefrom.

A further object is to provide in such a device, means for automatically closing the outlet so long as the device is in normally upright position, thereby retaining a predetermined quantity of moisture in the cigarettes and preventing an excess of such moisture entering from the outside, said means upon the inversion of the device automatically opening said outlet and permitting the cigarettes or the like to drop therefrom by gravity, as a lateral or circular motion is im 5 parted to the device to move the cigarettes or other contents successively into alignment with the outlet.

Still another object is to provide a container for cigarettes, cigars or other contents having a wall provided with a discharge aperture, a false wall spaced from the first and also provided with an aperture in alignment with the first aperture, and a ball or 5 equivalent member positioned between said apertured Walls, when the device is in up right position, said member being adapted to close said first aperture, and when the device is in an inverted position said mem- 40 ber moving laterally of and permitting communication between said apertures.

Referring to the drawings, a container is shown as embodying a bottom 1, from which rises a cylindrical. wall 2, the upper free end of which is preferably reduced at 3 and externally threaded to receive the correspondingly threaded portion 4 of a closure member 4' having a central outlet aperture 5, and an under surface 6 which slopes upwardly in substantially conical shapefrom Serial No. 311,834.

the periphery towards said aperture, when the device is in normal upright position.

The upper surface 7 of said closure member also slopes in a substantially conical shape but downwardly from the periphery towards said aperture when in upright position, while from the marginal portion of said member there arises a cylindrical wall 8, terminating in a preferably reduced eX- ternally threaded portion 9, adapted to normally support a similarly threaded cylindrical portion 10 of a second or false closure member 11, having an aperture 12 in alignment with the aperture in said first closure member, and its inner surface 13 being preferably of substantially conical shape and sloping downwardly from its periphery towards said last-named aperture when in normal upright position.

Within the space between said closure mcmhers is an element 14 which may comprise a ball, a round disc, or any other form of rolling device, operative when the device is in upright position to partially enter and close the aperture 5 in the closure member 4', so as to prevent undue moisture from. entering the container 12 and likewise to prevent the entrance of foreign matter, or the drying out of cigars, cigarettes, or other contents within said container. In normally upright position upon any given support, the device in its preferred embodiment comprises the elements and the arrangement thereof as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

In the operation of the device, when it is 83 desired to obtain a cigarette or other content from within the container, the device as a whole is grasped and manually inverted into the position shown in Fig. 2, it being noted that the rolling element 14 then rests upon the sloping inner surface 13 of the false closure member 11 and by gravity moves radially outwardly from the aperture 12. By giving a slightly rotary motion to the device, the cigarettes or other contents therein tend to slide upon the then downwardly sloping inner surface 6 of the main closure member 4 until they successively reach and pass through the aligned apertures 5 and 12 as shown.

Thus, the ball or similar member 14 acts as no obstruction to a free passage of articles through said apertures when the device is inverted, but immediately upon returning the device to its normal upright position, said element moves by gravity from the position indicated by a dot-and-dash outline in F ig. 1 into alignment with and actually entering and closing the aperture 5.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. A combined dispenser and humidor, comprising a container having a wall provided with an aperture, a false wall also having an aperture in alignment with said first aperture, the outer surface of said first wall sloping normally downwardly towards its aperture, the inner surface of said false wall when in inverted position sloping downwardly from its aperture, and a member between said walls adapted to roll upon said surfaces, to close said first aperture when in upright position, and to move laterally of said apertures when the device is inverted.

2. A combined dispenser and humidor, comprising a container having an open end, a removable closure for said end having an a )erture and an outer surface sloping (ownwardly towards said aperture, a false closure removably carried by said first closure and provided with an aperture normally in alignment with said first aperture and with an inner surface which slopes downwardly from its said aperture when in inverted position, and a member between said closures and operative to roll upon said surfaces, to close said first aperture when in upright position and to move laterally away from said apertures when the device is inverted.

3. A combined dispenser and humidor, comprising a container having an open end, a removable closure for said end having an aperture, and the opposite surfaces of said closure approaching each other as they approach said aperture, a false closure removably secured to said first closure and having an aperture in alignment with said first aperture, and an inner surface which slopes downwardly away from its aperture when in inverted position, and a ball between said closures operative to roll towards and close said first aperture when in upright position, and when in inverted position said ball being adapted to roll upon said false closure out of alignment with, and permit the contents of said container resting upon said first closure to pass through, said closures.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

MAURICE ALLAND. 

